April 1, 2008

Berks Jazz Fest 2008: Kenny Rankin, Paul Brown & Marc Antoine

After an intermission the groove and mood changed completely, the next concert centered around the three guitar players Kenny Rankin, Paul Brown and Marc Antoine, they were supported by a stellar band consisting of Philippe Saisse on keyboards, Ricky Lawson on drums and Roberto Valli on bass. The concert was very laid-back and easy on the ear, like a breath of fresh air, and definitely one of the positive surprises of the festival. They started with "Mas Que Nada", then Kenny Rankin - who is mainly a singer/songwriter - did one of his songs, then it was back to Paul Brown and Marc Antoine for some great guitar playing, among the songs played was "Spooky", a favorite of mine, and Grover's "Winelight", which funked things up. Paul Brown sang "The City" (a classic by Mark Almond) and "Listen To The Music" (another great one from the Doobie Brothers), some intelligent cover choices that complemented the style of these artists very well. Kenny Ranking sang "Blackbird" and evoked some Brazilian vibes with "Berimbau". This concert was an unexpected highlight and a joy from beginning to end.